Kennedy wins 17th, D-backs top Padres

RED-HOT:Arizona pitcher Ian Kennedy topped the National League with the 6-1 win, while Tampa’s David Price struck out 14 in seven innings against the Blue Jays

Reuters and AP, PHOENIX, Arizona

Starting pitcher Ian Kennedy of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches against the San Diego Padres during their Major League Baseball game at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sunday.

Photo: AFP

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Ian Kennedy topped the National League with his 17th win of the season as the Diamondbacks beat the San Diego Padres 6-1 for their sixth consecutive win on Sunday.

Arizona have allowed just five runs over their impressive winning streak, and Kennedy (17-4) continued the stingy pitching, striking out seven batters over seven innings.

The red-hot right-hander has now won nine of his last 10 starts to help the D-Backs establish a four-game lead over the San Francisco Giants in the National League West.

“We weren’t playing well before this, so we’re kind of making up for it,” Kennedy told reporters. “It’s nice to do this at home, go on this streak against guys in our division. It’s a lot of fun right now.”

Kennedy’s 17th win of the year surpassed Los Angeles Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw’s 16 for the lead in the NL.

Kennedy and the D-Backs fell behind 1-0 to the Padres in the top of the second, but a pair of home runs gave them control.

Collin Cowgill, who went four-for-four on the day, tied the game with a solo blast in the bottom of the second, before Aaron Hill’s two-run shot in the third gave the home team a 3-1 lead.

The homer was the first for Hill since he joined Arizona through a trade with Toronto on Tuesday, while Cowgill also hit an RBI double in the eighth as the Diamondbacks added three more runs.

The loss was the fourth straight for the NL West bottom-feeders San Diego (60-74).

“Their pitching has really come on,” Padres manager Bud Black said. “The two guys at the top of their rotation, Kennedy and Daniel Hudson, have come into their own with confidence and stuff. Their bullpen has been revamped. That’s the biggest thing, pitching.”

Cory Luebke allowed three runs in a little more than five innings to take the loss for the Padres, who had a solo homer from Orlando Hudson in the second.

Brewers 3, Cubs 2

In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Corey Hart homered for the second time in as many days as the Milwaukee Brewers swept the Chicago Cubs on Sunday.

Zack Greinke (13-5) improved to 10-0 at Miller Park and did not allow a hit until Marlon Byrd’s fifth-inning effort. In the bottom of the inning, Greinke singled, stole a base for the first time in his career and scored on Hart’s blast.

Greinke struck out seven, scattering four hits and two walks.

John Axford allowed a solo homer to Tyler Colvin in the ninth and third baseman Casey McGehee bobbled two balls before tagging out Byrd to end it. Axford got his 40th save.

The Brewers completed their second straight three-game sweep over the Cubs to improve to 21-5 this month, tying the franchise mark for most wins in a month set in June 1978.

Reds 5, Nationals 4

In Cincinnati, Ohio, Joey Votto led off the 14th inning with his second home run of the game, lifting the Cincinnati Reds over the Washington Nationals.

Votto hit a full-count pitch from Collin Balester (1-3) into the left-field bleachers to push the Reds over .500 for the first time since July 3.

His second career game-ending homer sent the Nationals to a sixth straight loss, tying their season high.

Johnny Cueto and five Reds relievers combined for 19 strikeouts, tying the team record.